Your Comprehensive Birth Center in Santa Cruz

Dominican Hospital offers the most advanced care available in the Monterey Bay area, combined with the comforts of home. Our Birth Center provides a welcoming environment for families, advanced technology for new moms and babies, and a commitment to a positive birth experience for you. We are a certified Baby-Friendly® hospital, which means we offer comprehensive lactation support, and your baby will remain by your side throughout your stay.

Focused on Your Safety

Our Birth Center’s highest priority is ensuring your health and safety during this unprecedented time. To support that, we have implemented changes in our normal protocols to make your birth experience as safe as possible. All new mothers should know that you may have a designated support person to be by your side throughout your labor, birth and postpartum.

Childbirth and Parenting Classes

From pregnancy classes to parenting classes, we are here to provide the guidance and care you need. Dominican Hospital is proud to offer a number of classes to help women and their partners prepare for their newborn. Through our parenting classes and events, the labor and delivery teams at Dominican are helping new parents make the right decisions about their child’s health.

Birth Center Tour

Schedule your free tour of the Dominican Hospital Family Birth Center, and discover the many ways we provide comfortable, safe, and secure care for mom and baby.

Pre-registration is required. For dates and times, and to schedule your free tour, please register through our Classes & Events or call 844.849.2099. We also offer Spanish speaking tours by appointment - please call 831.465.7948 to make a reservation.

What to Pack

The most important thing to bring is an approved infant car seat. During your hospital stay, Dominican Hospital offers free car seat check and installation so you can go home safely. You may also want to bring a going-home outfit for the baby and perhaps a receiving blanket for extra warmth. As a special gift, Dominican provides a newborn outfit. Dominican will provide whatever is needed for the baby during your hospital stay, i.e. diapers, t-shirts, blankets.

A Safe, Personalized Birth Experience

We believe in providing our moms and families with a warm, safe, and homelike environment, but you are never alone. We are here 24/7, gently supporting you every step of the way, empowering you to have the type of birth you desire. We encourage you to bring your birth plan and voice your wishes, so that we can work together to bring your baby into the world safely and comfortably.

Baby Friendly – The Birth Center at Dominican has been recognized as a Baby-Friendly facility by Baby-Friendly USA. This means that your baby will always stay in your room with you, and that Dominican prioritizes breastfeeding and skin-to-skin contact, providing the support and education needed for a successful breastfeeding journey. Learn More

Midwifery Program – Midwives provide care for uncomplicated pregnancies and births. Many women choose midwives because they prefer a highly personalized approach to pregnancy, birth, and women's health care. Provided by Dignity Health Medical Group in Santa Cruz, our midwives are certified nurse midwives (CNM), registered nurses who have completed a midwifery program and passed a national certification exam. Learn More

Natural Childbirth – Most people use the phrase natural childbirth to refer to the process of going through labor and birth without the use of pain medication or other medical interventions. There are a variety of reasons why a woman would choose to pursue a natural childbirth, and that choice is respected at Dominican Hospital. Learn More

Vaginal or Cesarean Birth – A vaginal birth is the usual, natural birth process, and babies are typically delivered vaginally unless your obstetric provider finds a medical reason for delivery by Cesarean section instead. A cesarean birth is surgery to deliver a baby through incisions in the mother’s abdomen and womb. At Dominican, a cesarean birth is considered when your doctor feels it is the safest delivery option for you, your baby, or both.

Car Seat Fitting Program

Did you know that three out of four car seats are installed incorrectly? Dignity Health Dominican Hospital’s Safely Home Car Seat Fitting program offers car seat checks and installation both for patients while they’re in the hospital and community members during our community events.